Flexible shaft



Nov. 15, 1927. 1,649,310

E. A. JOLIN E FLEXIBLE SHAFT Filed Sept. 25, 1924 Patented Nov. 15, j

- UNITED STATES 1 v 1,649,310 PATENT OFFICE.

EMMET A. JOLINE, OF TOTTENVILLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO THE S. S. WHITEDEN-- TAIL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION 01 PENNSYLVANIA.

FLEXIBLE SHAFT.

Application filed September 23, 1924. Serial No. 739,270.

My invention relates particularly to that class of flexible shafts thatare formed by coilin or twisting together, a plurality of stran s ofwire preferably wound closely a about a core, and is especially directedto the terminal tips of the individual cut lengths of such shaft, whichnot only serve to prevent untwisting of the coils of the shaft, butwhich may also serve to provide convenient .10 means of attachment ofthe driving or driven elements which said shaftis adapted to connect.

It has been common practice in the manufacture of such flexible shafts,to prevent the uncoiling or separating of the coils forming the shaft,by the application of solder adjacent to the extremities of theindividual lengths of the cable to which a fitting, having a spline orkey may be secured to provide an attachment for the connecting elements.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a flexible shaftwith terminal tips .that will efficiently prevent the accidentaldisplacement of the strands of the fabricated shaft, and that will tendto greatly decrease the cost of production of such shaft.

. Other objects of my invention are to provide a flexible shaft havingits terminals so distorted and shaped as to afford a convenientattaching means, without the necessity ofemploymcnt of a separatelyprovided ferrule or sleeve providing, an attaching tip.

My invention includes a flexible shaft having its extremities swaged toprovide a as terminal tip with a or projection. formed in unitaryrelation with the body of said shaft, and affording a spline or key forthe convenient engagement of connecting elements.

The form of my invention, as hereinafter described, comprises shaftingpreferably formed in continuous length, and having regions atpredetermined distances apart, swaged to compress the strands into suchinterlocked relation that when out lengths are severed throughv saidswaged region, the strands at the severed ends will be so interengagedas to cling together and remain inert.

5c My invention also includes all of the various novel features ofconstruction and arrangement as hereinafter more definitely specified. o

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevatignalview of a ,a cut length of said shaft which has bL an continuous lengthof coiled wire shafting, swaged at predetermined distances apart inaccordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective viewof the end of 00 severed through the swaged region, and which affords aterminal tip; Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the tipped shaftshown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a shaft whereinthe swaged terminal tip is provided with a fin or spline forming a key;and Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of the shaft shown in Fig. 4.

In said figures, the shaft as shown is formed by coiling several layersof wire strands 1, 2, and 3 in alternately opposite directions about awire strand mandrel or. core 5, whereby continuous or long lengths ofshafting may be fabricated, from which cut lengths for commercialpurposes may be severed.

As shown in 1, the shaft is swaged at predetermined distances apart toprovide constricted regions 6 and 7, formed by so compressing the bodyof the shaft by the swaging operation, as to so mash or crush the wirestrands into such a compact mass as to distort and interlock them, andthereby so disturb their continuity as to cause them to cling togetherand remain inert, without the necessity of being retained by solder orbound by a collar or ferrule, whereby said shaft may be severed throughsaid constrictedregions on the dot and dash lines 8-8 and 99 to form cutlengths, the terminal of one of which is shown in Fig. 2.

As shown. in Fig. 2, the shaft terminal thus formed afiords a polygonalterminal tip 10 which as shown is square, but which obviously, may be ofany other configuration, and which serves as a convenient meansofattachment with the connecting elements of driving'or driven deviceswhich said shaft may connect.

As shown in Figs. fl: and .5, the shaft 100 formed of the wire strands1, 2,3, and 5, has its terminal tip 12 so swagedas to provide the finorspline 13, which may serve to engage in a complementary groove or slotin the connecting element. 105

My invention is advantageous, in that the shaft constructed inaccordance with my invention may be severed without the employment ofsolderor other extraneous means to retain the cut ends of the wirestrands, and 110 the terminal tips thus provided afiord ade- 'quatemeans of connection with the connecting elements. Thus the expense ofsoldering or brazing, and the consequent necessity of grinding, or theattendant rusting caused by the use of flux, is eliminated. Furthermore,a shaft so constructed 'may be employed without connecting means otherthan the formed terminal tips which are integral with the shaft asshown, to engage directly with the connecting elements of the driving ordriven device.

Although it have shownfor illustration,

' terminal tips of squareformation, said tips thereby as to ofthemselves maintain said terminals inert and the shaft intact.

2. A coiled wire flexible shaft having its terminals swaged intopolygonal form to provide sharply defined angular corners, and therebyso set the individual strands as to of themselves prevent their relativedisplacement, and afiord means of attachment for connecting devices. I a

3. As an article of manufacture, a coiled wire flexible shaft having itsterminals swaged to form a spline, and to so distort and interlock thewire strands, as to prevent their relative displacement.

4. The method of forming terminal tips on .coiled wire flexible shafts,which consists in producing a distortion of the shaft, by

swaging the coiled wire strands of the shaft body by dies contactingdirectly therewith. 5. A coiled wire fiexlble shaft haying its terminalsreduced by swaging, and the wire weenie strands so distorted andinterlocked thereby as to prevent their displacement and to afi'ord ashoulder between the distorted and I undistorted portions forming a stopagainst which a separate removable connecting element may engage.

6. The method of producing lengths of flexible shaft which compriseswinding wire strands into a flexible cable of indefinite length, swagingsaid cable at predetermined regions, and cutting through saidswagedregions to form individual shaft lengths.

'7. A wound cable of indefinite length provided with polygonally swagedregions through which \said cable may be severed to form shaft sectionshaving inert reduced polygonal terminals for engagement with a separateconnecting element.

8. As an article of manufacture, a coiled wire flexible shaft having itsterminals swaged by direct contact of the wire strands with the swagingdies, and so reduced thereby as to afiord flattened outer surfaces onthe outer strands and to efiect such interlocking of the outer and innerstrands as to of themselves render the terminals of said shaft inert andthereby prevent uncoiling of said strands.

9. A coiled wire flexible shaft built up by a plurality of layers ofwire strands alternately laid in different directions, and havingstresses between said layers tending to relatively shift the wirestrands of the respective layers, and having its terminals swaged andthe individual strands so distorted thereby as to eflect such embeddingof the relatively crossed strands into each other as to prevent anyrelative slipping or uncoiling of said strands.

p 10. As an article of manufacture, a coiled wire flexible shaft havingits terminals swaged to so distort and interengage the wire strands asto-prevent uncoiling, and to form the outer strands into attaching meansfor engagement with a separate connecting element. V

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of Sept,A. D., 1924.

EMNET A. J OLI-NE.

